Shinra's Dogs
by cheese-teets
Summary: Very dark one shot from Reno's point of view.


_"Shinra's lap dog!"_ he spat at me before I paralyzed him with a quick blow of my EMR to the back of his neck, dropping my weapon to the ground.

"Dog? Yeah, we've all been called that before. Personally, I've been called that more than I can count. It's all part of the job description, ya see? We're the dogs, and Shinra's the Master. They point and we retrieve, kill, and we do it all in the name for a greater good. While Master kills the planet, we kill the people trying to stop our Master. We are Master's guard dogs. Master points, and we "retrieve". And by retrieve I mean we kill. We make sure the people think that Shinra's is corrupt and they think Master is killing the planet, but we never let them see how truly corrupt our Master is. Oh, if they only knew. We are Master's guard dogs, attack dogs, but we are not Master's lap dogs! Oh, no, no, no. The people are the lap dogs that feed out of our Master's hand, begging shamefully for more as they do. Disgusting. They need Master and they know it, so they love us to our face but hate and plot against us when they turn away. Cowards. The Chihuahua, no matter how much it yips and snarls, is gone with one careless snap of the Great Dane's jaw.

"There are still hundreds of lap dogs left, yet we Great Dane's numbers have dwindled down to a measly four. But the lap dogs have been quiets, most of them for good. I made sure of that personally when I dropped the plate on Sector Seven. I feel no remorse. Master pointed, and I obeyed. We are not the lap dogs, you people are. But, yes. Yes, we are dogs."

I cocked the gun and pressed it against the lap dogs quivering head as his paralysis wore off.

"Now, now, little puppy. You must have really made Master mad to get to meet me… Or maybe there was no other dog available to come see you?... Hmm… Do you know who I am, you whimpering mutt? I'm the big, bad, second in command… Ha! I guess that means nothing anymore. Being second out of four isn't really saying too much. Heh… Well, anyway. Do You know who I am? My name, lap dog? No. No, you don't. Master calls me Reno, on occasion, so that's my name. Just Reno. Isn't that a nice name? See, Master figures it best if we don't really relate to our names or the other dog's names. It makes them easier to kill if they betray Master, or just finally snap. It's harder to tell the latter, though. Maybe I've snapped. Maybe I'll walk out that door and Master will have pointed at me and I will be dealt with. Just like I'm dealing with you now… Because Master pointed.

"Ya know, when I first joined, I thought I was a lap dog. Isn't that just disgusting? I thought I was what you really are. I'm disgusted at my old self but I feel nothing in mocking it now. I pranced when Master pointed and I wagged my tail when I came back. I thought that maybe Master would love me with my ears up, tail wagging, and my bark friendly. Puppy love in it's purest form, I suppose. Master never cared, though. That's what you lap dogs just can't seem to ever understand. Master never has and Master never will care. You beg and whine and occasionally you piss on his carpet but he never notices you. Occasionally one of you gets his attention, and that's where we come in. You all think you've done him some great offense by shitting in the hallway, but he doesn't notice. But still I thought I was once a lap dog, but I'm not. Oh, no. Master just points," I pressed the gun harder against his scalp. Not like he could scream anymore. And even if this lap dog did yip, no one would come.

"And I retrieve," I said as I pulled the trigger.

"Poor, poor, puppy." I stepped away, sliding my gun back into my holster. "Had to be put down by the big, bad guard dog. Master didn't even bother to call the vet. Tsk."

I picked my EMR off the ground from where I had dropped it earlier and sauntered over to the door. I liked to have personality, and Master didn't care. I opened the door and took in the fresh, pollution-ridden sunlight before taking a step out into the world Master let me live in.

"Reno."

"Ah, partner. I've already put the puppy down," I half smiled at him.

"We know."

"Oh? We? Who else is here? Tseng? Elena? Or has Master decided to grant his dog a visit?"

"You need to come with me, Reno."

"Ah… I think I'll have to pass on that," I smirked and extend my EMR with a show of sparks, tensing up. I might be a dog, but that doesn't mean I can't be feisty.

"Reno… It's time for you to… Retire."

"Really? Is that what Master told you to say? Retire? I might be an old dog but I am in no means stupid."

"Reno, please. Please, come with me."

"No can do, partner." I relaxed anyway. This was the end, might as will not fight it. I lowered and retracted my EMR. I didn't really want to go anywhere. He could put me down here, if I was what Master had pointed him at. I didn't want to be put down by someone who didn't have the guts to just walk right out and shoot me point black. That would be very disgraceful… But maybe I was being honored. Maybe he would be taking me to…

"Are you going to take me to Master?" I looked up at him hopefully.

"That's enough," a man's voice said from the shadows. "Rude, you're a coward."

And then I was on the ground. I looked up, blurry, from where I had fallen. The bastard had shot me in the chest. I wouldn't be dying instantly. I tried to focus my eyes, hoping it was Master who shot me. I focused on the retreating form and smirked, closing my eyes for the last time.

_'I guess I really am just a lap dog in the end.'_


End file.
